The Year in Review
Alberta Story of the Year
Shane: Alberta government tables legislation that would allow voters to recall elected MLAs plus citizen initiative act (211)
Patrick: 219 - Kenney says UCP needs to be ‘on the same team’ after vote to oust dissenters
BC Story of the Year
Shane: Vancouver and First Nations expected to announce committee to explore possible 2030 Olympic bid (248)
Patrick: 245 - B.C. floods put spotlight on Canada’s infrastructures. Improve them now, experts say
Worst Covered Story by the MSM
Shane: Liberals take House Speaker to court to block release of unredacted records (225)
Patrick: 226 - Chinese agents active in Canada, Commons committee hears
Most Important Story
Shane: Maryam Monsef called the Taliban ‘brothers.’ Here’s what you need to know (233)
Patrick: 222 - Remains of 215 Indigenous children found buried at former Kamloops residential school
Firing Line Story of the Year
Shane: Trudeau spends 1st Truth and Reconciliation Day in Tofino on vacation, contradicting itinerary (238)
Patrick: 236 - Chinese PLA general collaborated with fired scientist at Canada’s top infectious disease lab
Local Story of the Year
Patrick: 214 - ‘War in the woods’: activists blockade Vancouver Island in bid to save ancient trees
Story We Didn’t Get to Cover
Shane: More than 1,500 people have now died in 2021 due to B.C.'s toxic drug supply: coroner (244)
Patrick: 215 - First Nations proposing new energy corridor in Western Canada
Fake News Story of the Year
Shane: Canada’s vaccine shortage: Covid-19 cases per capita pass U.S. rate as doctors plead for more vaccines (215) + botched vaccine rollout
Patrick: 237 - Trudeau Wins, but Is Diminished by a Futile Election
Worst Government Expense of the Year
Shane: Trudeau Wins, but Is Diminished by a Futile Election (237)
Patrick: 212 - Delays plague 'inconsistent and incomplete' $188B infrastructure program: auditor general
Funniest Story
Shane: QAnon’s ‘Queen of Canada’ Calls for Followers to ‘Kill’ People Vaccinating Children (246)
Patrick: 247 - CBC's 18 words you can't say is the dumbest thing I've ever heard
Newsmaker of the Year
Shane: Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor
Patrick: BC’s Disasters (Heat Dome, Wildfires, Floods)
Word of the Year
Shane: Dither (248)
Patrick: 216 - Debtonation - “A term coined by economist Ann Pettifor, essentially referring to the slow buildup of a nation’s debt eventually leading to a ‘detonation’ of economic depression.”
Favourite Western Context Episode
Shane: 211 – Essential Questions
Patrick: 247 – The Context of Words
Favourite Western Context Show Title
Shane: Setting the Table (215)
Patrick: 214 – Choose Your Own Democracy
Picture of the Year
Shane: I trust the Science vs. You Trust the Television (221)
Patrick: 228 - Political Parties as Muppets
How to Find Us
Westerncontext.ca
Show Data
Episode Title: 2021 In Context
Teaser: We look at 2021’s news stories, including BC’s disasters, Alberta’s democracy, and Trudeau’s inflated spending. We also look at September’s federal election, our words of the year, as well as the ongoing trials of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recorded Date: December 21, 2021
Release Date: December 26, 2021
Duration: 1:18:19
Edit Notes: BC transition and mic knock
Podcast Summary Notes
<Teaser>
<Download>
Duration: XX:XX